Joyful Reunion (Part 1)
"Are you going on a business trip?" Ji Qingzhou asked.
An hasn't left for work yet; she's packing her things.
An nodded. "If I'm not here, make yourself something to eat."
She taught Ji Qingzhou how to steam things; it didn't require any special skills.
As for how to eat well, that depends on his own efforts.
She handled everything herself when she was working before, so she should be fine going out for two days.
Ji Qingzhou asked, "Where are you going?"
"Yun City".
Ji Qingzhou said, "I'll go too, let's go together."
An was somewhat surprised.
She didn't ask any more questions.
After returning to China, he frequently traveled between Yun City and here, but An Yi never asked him about it, and he didn't say anything.
An had already calculated the time and asked, "What time is your ticket? Can we go together?"
Ji Qingzhou said, "Someone is coming to pick me up."
"No rush, take your time packing. I'll contact the driver when you're done."
Ji Qingzhou then asked, "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"No need, there's not much."
After packing, the driver was already waiting downstairs.
An doesn't know much about cars, but she can tell this car is unusual.
The driver also seemed unusual. He allowed Ji Qingzhou to manage the time as he pleased. The driver was highly professional, polite to him, and even got out to help him put his luggage away.
Her luggage was in Ji Qingzhou's hands.
An had already considered one possibility: the driver belonged to Ji Qingzhou's family.
In Yun City, vehicles come and go on the roads.
“We’re in the city now. If you’re in a hurry, just drop me off on the side of the road and I’ll take a taxi.” An had already turned her gaze away from the window.
"No rush, I'll take you there first."
The driver could see An Yi and Ji Qingzhou interacting in the rearview mirror.
The two didn't talk much, but they were very close.
Ji Qingzhou stayed with An Yi, very patiently.
He had worked for the Ji family for so many years, and Ji Qingzhou only treated his grandmother like this.
A few days ago, when I was chatting with Ji Qingzhou, he mentioned that he had a girlfriend and was staying at her house.
I informed her in advance before picking her up today.
It seems this girl holds a special place in his heart.
An had already attended the head office meeting, and the driver took her directly to the company entrance.
Ji Qingzhou rolled down the car window. "Tell me when the meeting is over."
The meeting didn't end until 7 p.m.
An had already called Ji Qingzhou, who told her to wait downstairs at the company.
A moment later, a white car pulled up in front of her.
It's different from the one in the morning.
The car window rolled down, and the person in the driver's seat was different.
The man greeted her warmly, "Sister-in-law, get in the car quickly."
She was a little confused by being called "sister-in-law," but after a moment, she opened the car door and got in.
The young man started the car and drove away from the company. "I am Ji Wen, Ji Qingzhou's younger brother."
An was startled and said, "Hello."
Ji Wen was also sizing up his future sister-in-law.
Compared to the socialites the Ji family had access to, An was no longer considered beautiful.
Without deliberately dressing up, he sat upright and spoke with a calm and powerful voice, exuding a natural and elegant temperament.
Ji Wen chuckled inwardly; his older brother's taste was indeed different from others.
Ji Wen said, "My brother is still busy and will arrive later. I'll take you to dinner first, sister-in-law."
It turns out that when Ji Qingzhou said he was waiting for someone, he wasn't waiting for him, but for his younger brother.
"OK."
Ji Wen gripped the steering wheel, pondering whether he should speak.
"Sister-in-law, if you're willing, could you please help me persuade my brother?"
She was still unfamiliar with this title and found it hard to accept that she suddenly had this title and this identity.
But An offered no further explanation.
Parting and reunion are inevitable; there's no need to speak of it too early.
"What advice are you giving?"
Ji Wen was puzzled for a moment. Hadn't her brother mentioned these things to her?
He couldn't help but wonder if Ji Qingzhou was really serious about her.
It wasn't a serious matter; they made him pick them up again.
Honestly, she didn't even know this much.
Ji Wen is really overthinking this.
They didn't say that; they're just not talkative.
It's as if they've developed a tacit understanding; they can maintain a good relationship without saying a word.
He thought about it for a moment; it wasn't something he couldn't talk about.
"It would be best if my older brother came back to take over our family business."
"Ji Yang, who is my uncle's son, is very popular with the shareholders in the company and seems to be planning to take over the company."
An was unaware of these things, but simply went along with Ji Wen's suggestion, saying, "Then let him go. Ji Qingzhou probably wants to pursue academics."
Perhaps, judging from Ji Qingzhou's obsessive attitude towards scientific research.
Ji Wen sighed and said, "But the key issue is that Ji Yang's approach is not conducive to the company's long-term development."
He thought it best for Ji Qingzhou to explain the rest to her personally.
If he were to speak too much rashly, and Ji Qingzhou were unwilling to listen, it would only backfire.
Ji Qingzhou might even blame him for telling An Yi all this.
Ji Wen drove his car into a narrow road and stopped in front of a small gate.
Above the gate hung a plaque with three characters: Zhushuiyuan (Bamboo and Water Courtyard).
The small wooden door is exquisitely designed, with carvings of flowers, birds, insects, and animals on it.
The upper right corner features numerous flowers and birds; upon closer inspection, it appears to be an umbrella composed of flowers and birds.
This door alone is enough to reveal the owner's thoughts.
Ji Wen said, "Sister-in-law, we've arrived."
He quickly got out of the car and opened the door next to An.
This made An feel somewhat flattered.
She didn't show it on her face, but said "thank you".
The small door opened, and a person came out. Ji Wen said, "This is an honored guest. Please treat him well."
“Okay,” the waiter gestured to An Yi, “Miss An, the private room is ready.”
Ji Wen said to An Yi, "Dinner is here. My brother will be here shortly."
She added, "My brother said you can eat first if you're hungry."
She guessed that Ji Qingzhou would arrange dinner, but she didn't expect him to be so thoughtful.
An nodded, and after the two parted, she followed the waiter into the courtyard.
As soon as you enter the courtyard, you see bamboo covering the entire yard.
Although there are many bamboo plants, they are not densely packed and are arranged in a staggered and orderly manner.
A path was carved out in the middle, with cobblestones lining the bottom.
The path, though short, winds its way through the bamboo grove, making the most of the beautiful scenery.
"What kind of bamboo is this?" An asked.
"Miss An, this is Nan Zhu."
She followed behind the waiter, and could vaguely see the buildings inside through the bamboo grove.
Once you step out of the path, the scenery changes with every step.
It has pavilions, terraces, towers, streams, and artificial hills.
After passing through the corridor, we finally arrived at the private room.
An has taken her seat.
The menu was on the table.
"Miss An, you can order now."
Ann had already flipped through the menu and noticed that the waiter was standing to one side.
She said, "You can go ahead and do your work."
“Okay,” the waiter said again, “you can also order things that aren’t on the menu.”
An nodded, "You go ahead and get busy, I'll wait for Ji Qingzhou."
The menu has a limited selection of dishes, but they are all exquisite, including many dishes that are rarely seen on the market.
A short while later, the same waiter came in again.
She brought a vase, put a bunch of flowers in it, and placed it on the small table next to her.
A bunch of crabapple blossoms, still with buds.
The waiter said, "This is what Mr. Ji instructed."
Her middle finger unconsciously tapped the menu twice, as if Ji Qingzhou held a special status here.
Since she had nothing to do at the moment, she called the pet store downstairs from her house.
I inquired about the milk tea.
Milk Tea was a name chosen fresh this morning.
An has never been given a name and doesn't know how to choose one.
She found the puppy while buying milk tea, so she simply named it Milk Tea.
Ji Qingzhou even laughed at her for being so casual about choosing a name.
An had already asked him to come and pick it up, but he said it was a good name.
And so the name "milk tea" was decided.
The pet shop owner asked me to leave my name so he could mark me.
Neither of them were home, and they were worried about leaving an injured puppy at home. Ji Qingzhou came up with an idea: to have the pet shop downstairs take care of it for a couple of days.
The shop owner said: Milk Tea is in good condition. She can eat, stand up, and even call out to strangers.
An smiled and said she was recovering quite well.
When Ji Qingzhou arrived, the room was already filled with the fragrance of crabapple blossoms.
He sat opposite An.
"Why haven't you ordered yet?"
Ji Qingzhou's eyes looked slightly tired.
An has already said, "I'll be waiting for you."
She pushed the menu toward him, saying, "Are you hungry? Hurry up, I'm fine with anything."
Ji Qingzhou took the menu but didn't even open it. He directly called over the waiter and named a few dishes.
Finally, he added, "Let's add another dish: braised chicken wings."
This dish is not on the menu.
The dishes here have simple and elegant names, but Ji Qingzhou's braised chicken wings seem to lower the overall style.
An smiled faintly, held the teacup, and took a sip of tea.
Ji Qingzhou asked, "What are you laughing at?"
An said, "The chicken wings I bought yesterday are still in the refrigerator."
I'll make it for you when I get back tomorrow.
When the dishes are served, each one is a visual treat.
Even the braised chicken wings were made to look so high-class that people almost didn't recognize them.
Ji Qingzhou arranged the dishes closer to An.
Ji Qingzhou had already made arrangements for An before starting her own side.
He had already eaten a little, but not much; he just touched his chopsticks symbolically. He still wanted to come back quickly and eat with An.
The two ate quietly, with only the clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the soft sounds of chewing.
Outside the window is the bamboo grove we just visited; sometimes the wind blows, and the sound of bamboo leaves rustling can be heard.
After dark, the lights in the bamboo forest were turned on.
It wasn't bright, but it was dark enough to see clearly in the night, a different scene from when she first came in.
Are you a regular here?
An had already thought of this thoughtful service.
“No,” Ji Qingzhou placed a piece of food on An Yi’s plate, “Try this.”
"This is a hotel, and I own it."
An Yi's movements faltered slightly. Although she had guessed this possibility, she was still somewhat surprised to hear Ji Qingzhou say it herself.
He was being modest by calling it a hotel.
Although it's not in the city center, it's not far either.
The scenery is superb, and the food is excellent. The entrance decorations and Chinese-style landscaping are quite extraordinary.
Ji Qingzhou looked out the window. "I originally wanted to plant a bamboo grove, but then I saw that the conditions here were good, so I set up these landscapes behind the bamboo forest."
"Having a meal with friends here and enjoying the view would be nice," she said. "It's a win-win situation."
Ji Qingzhou chuckled, "Planting bamboo here is a waste, and my dad even scolded me for it."
An Yi smiled faintly, and Ji Qingzhou would also be scolded.
"So you designed this place?" An asked.
Ji Qingzhou had almost finished eating and put down her chopsticks. "Of course not, I just participated in the design process."
An Yi thought that Ji Qingzhou was just being modest, after all, he could even make complicated things like oiled paper umbrellas.
"Then you must have chosen this name."
Ji Qingzhou looked at An Yi across from her, who was eating small bites, her eyes filled with Yue Ze. She always understood him in the smallest ways.
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